X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Week 8 Rankings Analysis: Nick Mariano vs. Industry Consensus

Week 7 makes for another solid week in the books. While Matt Ryan wasn’t really part of Atlanta’s festivities, the process was sound as Atlanta still scored 30+ points. Andy Dalton held his own even with Jeremy Hill stealing the spotlight, and we were right to be bearish on Russell Wilson, Jordan Howard and Brandon Marshall.

Now it’s time to review my rankings for Week 8 and look at how they stack up against the Expert Consensus, commenting on any standouts or points of contention. Assume standard rankings when I say that a player is x spots ahead or below consensus.

Editor's Note: New users that sign up on FantasyAces, make a $20 deposit, and enter any game will receive our full season NFL (or NBA) Premium Pass for free, a $59.99 value. Just email [email protected] with your new FantasyAces username - and boom, that's it! We will email you with your Premium pass.

Editor's Note: Access RotoBaller’s trusted fantasy football rankings for PPR, Standard, Dynasty, Super Flex, and Best Ball formats. Get tiered cheat sheets, expert analysis, and player outlooks to dominate your draft from every angle.

 

Week 8 Quarterbacks - Rankings Analysis

I know that Dak Prescott has played well enough to fend off the looming Tony Romo fever, but this is not a good spot for him. While he does have a home matchup going for him, the defense opposing him will be the best pass defense according to FootballOutsiders’ DVOA metric – the Philadelphia Eagles. I see this being a rather gritty game, and even with Dez Bryant back I doubt Prescott is called on to do all that much. As a result, I’ve got him at #19 versus a #14 consensus.

I realize I just said I see this as a gritty game, but Carson Wentz is getting bumped up several slots to #18 (#22 consensus) right above Prescott. He’s still definitely not a QB1, but I see him as a fair mid-range QB2 instead of a guy that those in two-QB leagues should consider benching. While Dallas’ defense ranks 8th in run DVOA, they check in at 22nd against the pass thanks to exceptional vulnerabilities against the tight end and pass-catching running backs. Hopefully Philly recognizes this, and springs Zach Ertz and Darren Sproles loose.

 

Week 8 Running Backs - Rankings Analysis

Jordan Howard and Matt Jones are both trending downwards, yet they need to be pushed even further (down five spots each). Howard has nothing going for him in Week 8. Not only is Ka’Deem Carey looking better out of the backfield, but Howard has turned his 12 red-zone rushing attempts this season into only 15 yards and one TD, and now he gets to face a Minnesota defense that has resembled an angry brick wall. Oh, and Jeremy Langford returnd to practice on Tuesday. Chicago's backfield is about to be disgusting, Minnesota matchup aside. Pass.

Meanwhile Matt Jones has been all Jekyll and Hyde lately, with TDs in Weeks 2, 4 and 6 alongside very poor Weeks 1,3,5 and 7. Gambler’s fallacy would have us hammer Jones hard in Week 8 due to this, but the reality is that he’s pretty spotty. He’s fumbled the ball eight times in his first 20 NFL games, including three already this season. This led to Chris Thompson (#25 against #30 consensus) getting the majority of Washington’s RB looks. Relying on either Howard or Jones looks unwise, though I suppose they make for a major DFS tournament pivot.

 

Week 8 Wide Receivers - Rankings Analysis

Kelvin Benjamin is set to get the Patrick Peterson treatment in Week 8 (and will have free safety Tony Jefferson – 86.7 PFF grade – over the top). As a result I’ve slipped him to #22 against a #18 consensus. I do see Carolina needing to keep with Arizona, who should be able to exploit the Panthers terrible secondary, but the probability that it goes through Benjamin is low.

I also have Mohamed Sanu at #39 against a #46 consensus, who should be in line for a bounceback against a Green Bay secondary that is woefully beaten up. While Julio Jones is the consensus #1 WR this week as a result, Sanu should get a few key looks with Tevin Coleman likely sidelined. A couple of other risers are Marquise Goodwin (+9) and Tyreek Hill (+12), as both of them are absolute burners with Goodwin being Buffalo’s healthy #1 WR right now and Tyreek Hill squaring off against a poor Indianapolis secondary.

 

Week 8 Tight Ends - Rankings Analysis

It’s no secret that Oakland’s defense makes for a good TE target, so Cameron Brate gets the bump to #11 from #16 despite a disappointing three targets last week against San Francisco. While he did catch all three of them, we’d like to see a return to Weeks 3 and 4 when he saw 18 combined targets. The Bucs don’t want Winston throwing as much as he had been, but Brate should see more than three targets against an exploitable Raiders defense.

Earlier we alluded to how Philadelphia could take advantage of a Dallas defense that ranks 31st against the TE according to DVOA data, so Zach Ertz checks in at #15 against a #20 consensus. This is a longshot as he’s only caught five balls over the past three weeks, but again we’re banking on HC Doug Pederson and company realizing this is how you can attack Dallas. Vernon Davis also notably gets a modest three-spot lift to #12 for me thanks to a matchup against a Cincinnati defense that checks in at 28th against TEs per DVOA. If Jordan Reed somehow plays, then Davis becomes a non-factor of course.

I’d rather talk more about the skill positions than include kicker or defense, as they are far less interesting to me. Feel free to send me a vitriolic message should you want them back, I’ll listen I swear.

 


Check out all of RotoBaller's fantasy football rankings. Staff rankings are updated regularly for all positions and include standard formats, PPR scoring, tiered rankings and dynasty leagues.




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

NHL

Tyler Johnson Retires After 13 NHL Seasons
Jack McBain

Inks New Five-Year Deal with Mammoth
Cam York

Re-Signs with Flyers for Five Years
Kobe Bufkin

Cleared for Summer League Action
Jake Knapp

Fits the Mold for Success at The Renaissance Club
Vasilije Micić

Vasilije Micic Agrees to Contract Buyout with Bucks
PGA

Sungjae Im Still a Liability at Scottish Open
NBA

Pacers Bring Back James Wiseman
Ludvig Aberg

is a Solid Option at Scottish Open
Tyrese Haliburton

to Miss Entire 2025-26 Campaign
Paolo Banchero

Signs Historic Five-Year Extension with Magic
Anthony Santander

Hoping to Hit Soon
Luis Robert Jr.

Returning in Short Order
Alex Bregman

Could Return Later This Week
Ketel Marte

Day-to-Day with Groin Tightness
Ty Gibbs

Finishes Second at Chicago and Advances in In-Season Challenge
Alex Bowman

Defeats Bubba Wallace in In-Season Challenge, but Not Without Controversy
Alex Bowman

Bubba Wallace Wrecked by Alex Bowman Again, Putting Playoffs in Doubt
Michael McDowell

Throttle Failure Ends Michael McDowell's Chances to Win at Chicago
Austin Hill

Earns First NASCAR Cup Series Top Ten at Chicago
Tyler Reddick

Scores a Strong Third-Place Run at Chicago
Kyle Busch

Matches his Best Career Finish At Chicago on Sunday
Denny Hamlin

Fights his Way to a Top-5 Finish at Chicago
William Byron

has his Worst Weekend of the Season at Chicago
Hunter Greene

Suffers Setback on Monday
Philadelphia 76ers

Kyle Lowry Staying With 76ers
Kyle Anderson

Lands in Utah
Kevin Love

Traded to Jazz in 3-Team Swap
Norman Powell

Traded to Miami
John Collins

Dealt to Clippers
J.J. Spaun

Finishes Tied For 14 at Travelers Championship
Xander Schauffele

Finishes Tied For 61 at Travelers Championship
Collin Morikawa

Finishes Tied For Eighth at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Robert MacIntyre

Finishes Tied For 17 at Travelers Championship
Si Woo Kim

Finishes Tied For 11 at John Deere Classic
Viktor Hovland

Withdraws From Travelers Championship
Tommy Fleetwood

Finishes Tied For Second at Travelers Championship
Brian Campbell

Wins John Deere Classic
Bronny James Jr.

Scores 10 Points
Harrison Ingram

Limited on Sunday
Golden State Warriors

Isaiah Mobley Drops 16 Points
Ryan Rollins

Staying with Bucks
T.J. Watt

Pittsburgh Still Not Close on New Contract
Terry McLaurin

Still Not Pleased with Contract Situation
Sonny Milano

on Track to Be Ready for Training Camp
Yu Darvish

to Make Season Debut on Monday
MLB

Nationals Fire Dave Martinez, Mike Rizzo
Jakub Dobes

Signs Two-Year Deal with Canadiens
KaVontae Turpin

Arrested on Two Charges
Cole Ragans

to Begin Throwing on Monday
Theo Johnson

Prioritizing his Health this Offseason
Andrés Giménez

Andres Gimenez Hits 10-Day Injured List
Jermaine Burton

Continues to Show Growth
NHL

Hendrix Lapierre Signs One-Year Deal with Capitals
Carson Hocevar

Should DFS Players Consider Carson Hocevar for Chicago Lineups?
Tye Kartye

Kraken Re-Sign Tye Kartye for Two Years
Ross Chastain

May be A Decent DFS Option for Chicago Lineups
Dmitri Voronkov

Signs Two-Year, $8.35 Million Extension with Blue Jackets
Ryan Preece

Should DFS Players Roster Ryan Preece at Chicago?
Austin Dillon

Is Too Great of A Risk to Add to Chicago Lineups
Zane Smith

Is A Value Play Worth Rostering At Chicago
Austin Hill

is A Favorable Value Option for Chicago DFS Lineups
Ty Dillon

Is Ty Dillon A Decent Driver to Add For NASCAR DFS At Chicago?
William Byron

Qualifying Crash Makes William Byron a Likely DFS Must-Have
Alex Bowman

Should Finish Well, but Probably Costs Too Much for Serious DFS Consideration
Joey Logano

Has Been Relatively Mediocre on Road Courses Lately
Ryan Blaney

Doesn't Really Fit Neatly into Optimal DFS Lineups
Austin Cindric

Remains an Overrated Road Racer
Cam Ward

"Not Expecting" to be handed Starting Job
Chase Claypool

Eager to Get Back on the Field
Wyatt Langford

Activated, Playing on Saturday
Jay Huff

on the Move to Indiana
Cam Whitmore

Wizards Acquire Cam Whitmore from the Rockets
LaJohntay Wester

Stands out on Special Teams
Clarke Schmidt

Likely to Undergo Tommy John Surgery
Nolan Arenado

Scratched from Saturday's Lineup
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Starting on Saturday
Corbin Carroll

Activated from 10-Day Injured List
Cincinnati Bengals

Shemar Stewart, Bengals Continue Contract Talks, No Progress Made
Giannis Antetokounmpo

Potential Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade may not Happen Until "August, September"
Ha-Seong Kim

Removed Early During Season Debut
ARI

Christian Fischer Retires From NHL at 28
NHL

Spencer Martin Moves to Russia
WAS

Anthony Beauvillier Re-Signs With Capitals for Two Years
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Sitting Out With Foot Issue
Isaiah Neyor

Impresses at Minicamp
Jock Landale

Waived by Rockets
Bo Bichette

Back in Blue Jays Lineup
Jonas Valančiūnas

Jonas Valanciunas Considering Returning to Europe
Miles Sanders

Works With Starters During Mandatory Minicamp
Jabari Walker

Signs Two-Way Deal With Sixers
Chimere Dike

Titans Could Move Chimere Dike Inside
Keandre Lambert-Smith

KeAndre Lambert-Smith not Guaranteed Roster Spot
Anthony Bradford

Working Hard to Win Back Starting Job
Byron Young

Still Improving?
Cody Simon

Jonathan Gannon has Been Impressed With Cody Simon
SirVocea Dennis

has Impressive Offseason
Trevor Penning

Could Still Have a Role in New Orleans
Jonathan Kuminga

Warriors Decline Recent Offer for Jonathan Kuminga
Clarke Schmidt

Placed on Injured List
José Soriano

Jose Soriano Throws Gem Against Braves
Robbie Ray

Earns Ninth Win in Complete Game
T.J. Watt

Likely to Reset the Edge-Rush Market
George Springer

Blasts Two Homers, Drives in Four
Pittsburgh Steelers

Omar Khan, Steelers Agree to Three-Year Contract
SJ

Sharks Claim Nick Leddy Off Waivers
SJ

Sharks Sign Dmitry Orlov to Two-Year, $13 Million Contract
CAR

Nikolaj Ehlers Joins Hurricanes on Six-Year Contract
Chau Smith-Wade

Having Stellar Offseason
COL

Brent Burns Inks One-Year Deal with Avalanche
STL

Blues Land Pius Suter on Two-Year Deal
Morgan Frost

Agrees to Two-Year Extension with Flames
WPG

Gustav Nyquist Moves to Winnipeg
Cody Glass

Devils Re-Sign Cody Glass to Two-Year Deal
PIT

Anthony Mantha Joins Penguins
Emil Heineman

Signs Two-Year Deal with Islanders
Bud Cauley

in Great Form Ahead of John Deere Classic
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

a Player to Avoid at John Deere Classic
Jake Knapp

Riding Momentum Ahead of John Deere Classic
PGA

Sungjae Im Looking for Consistency at John Deere Classic
Ryan Gerard

a Solid Option at John Deere Classic
Rickie Fowler

Looking to Rebound at John Deere Classic
Cameron Champ

a Volatile Option at John Deere Classic
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF